‘Anabta, ‘Azzun, Qalqiliya, Mon 27.10.08, Morning
Eliyahu Gate
07:10 – We see few workers who have already passed. There is no line at all and a lot of army vehicles are in the area. The reason is unclear.
Qalqiliya
07:20 – It's quiet and there are no lines. Leaving vehicles are checked randomly. At the entrance, only entry permits of Israeli vehicles are checked.
07:50 – Azzun is still blocked. A taxi has stopped near the earth piles and waited. A woman climbs the earth piles and gets into the taxi.
08:00 – Close to the eastern exit from Karne Shomron, at the foot of Moshe Zar's house, we see Palestinians getting ready for the olive harvest and we stop near them. They tell us about their sufferings inflicted by Moshe Zar who threatens them if they come close to the area which is, he claims, his property. They are waiting for the DCO representative [District Coordination Office of the IDF Civil Administration that handles passage permits] before they dare walk to their land to harvest the olives. We wait with them. Some of them are waiting next to the Workers' Gate of Karne Shomron through which they entered in order to pick olives in the lands, probably theirs, inside the fence of Karne Shomron. We drive there to take them. They tell us that this is how it has been for the last 30 years and that he has been always causing them trouble.
08:15 – The lord himself, Moshe Zar, has arrived. He also waits for the officer and watches the Palestinians and us.
08:25 – The DCO representative and the man in charge of the security of the settlement have arrived and approached us. Moshe Zar starts by swearing at us, saying things like "You sleep with them?" After a few embarrassing moments for us and the Palestinians, some of whom are women and elderly people, the security people start mediating between the Palestinians and Moshe Z., flattering and trying to pacify him. But the man is adamant, insisting that they not dare walk in his land and pick even one olive…
The security people make sure the Palestinians know exactly where they are allowed to pick olives and where they aren't.
Eventually, the Palestinians start walking alone towards the hill. We can see from a distance a vehicle moving along the fence inside Karne Shomron, keeping an eye on them or, as the security man of the settlement puts it he doesn't guard the Palestinians, but rather guards the place from them.
Anabta
10:30 – No lines and scarcely any checks. A few minutes after we arrive, some exercise starts, or maybe it is a briefing to the soldiers who have been visiting the checkpoint. The result is a total stoppage of all activities at the checkpoint for 10 minutes and a line of 15 vehicles. The line dissipates as soon as the exercise ends.
'Anabta CP
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'Anabta CP
The checkpoint is located south of the village of 'Anabta, at the intersection of Road 60 (leading to Nablus at the entrance to Area A), with Road (57, 557, 5576) facing west towards the Einav settlement and the checkpoint at the exit from the West Bank - Figs checkpoint. Until 2010 we used to watch the intersection and report the long columns created due to a slow inspection of the vehicles in both directions.
Oct-28-2011Anabta checkpoint 24.10.11
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'Azzun
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Azoun (updated February 2019)
A Palestinian town situated in Area B (under civil Palestinian control and Israeli security control),
on road 5 between Nablus and Qalqiliya, east of Nabi Elias village. The inhabitants are allowed to construct and improve infrastructures. The Separation Fence has confiscated lands belonging to the town's people. In 2018 olive tree groves owned by one of its inhabitants were confiscated for the sake of paving a road to bypass Nabi Elias. Azoun population numbers 13,000, its economic state dire. Its infrastructures are poor, neglect and poverty rampant. In the meantime, the town council has completed paving an internal road for the inhabitants' welfare.
Because of its proximity to the Jewish settler-colony of Karnei Shomron and its outposts, the town suffers the intense presence of the Israeli army, especially at nighttime: soldiers enter homes, arrest suspects, trash the house and sometimes ruin it, as they do in numerous places in the West Bank. At times a checkpoint closes the entrance to the town, so no one can come in or get out.
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Qalqiliya checkpoint
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Qalqilya is surrounded on all sides by the separation barrier. The only exit from the city is in the east of the city on the road that leaves the city in an easterly direction. This is where the checkpoint was located. When the checkpoint was active until 2009 our shifts watched long queues of cars being inspected at the only exit from the city to the West Bank. The checkpoint was canceled, but there is a military presence at the entrance to the city.
Nina SebaAug-18-2025Azzun: Enclosed by a high fence and the gate to the village is closed
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